Runaway
by immortal001
Summary: Nico di Angelo is ready to leave his old life behind in order to reunite with his family. Plans change when a blonde boy, Will, ruins everything on the greatest night of Nico's life. How will Nico handle the deep sadness bubbling inside him? Can he out run the captives that held him hostage for so long? Mature for later chapters. Trigger warning: suicide/selfharm
1. Chapter 1

When we die, where do we go? Is there a heaven and hell, or is there simply nothing? The lights shut off, the world goes quiet, everything we have ever worried about gone in an instant. Pain and misery people felt could be fixed with something so small as death. Their minds could be free of worry, free of anything bad has ever happened. We could be released from the life we live in now and continue to the next chapter. A better chapter.

I thought of the pain I have had to endure. The loss of my mother, her life taken from me without warning. Her face still lingered in the back of my mind always warning me about the things I could not control. The soothing Italian voice from her songs faded along with the memory of our family together. Before the clashing of death vs. life. Before my sister was robbed of her years, forced to say goodbye too soon. I watched her grow ill, side by side, we never left each other in that hospital room. She became so thin, so fragile, I had to be careful I wouldn't bruise her hand when she was passing on. Leaving this life. My life.

There I stood, in the middle of the night. The stars twinkled brightly, and the moon lit up the train tracks. Looking down I noticed my hands shook violently. The crisp clean air settled my nerves as I took deep breathes. Fear couldn't change my mind, I was ready. It was a beautiful night to come home, to see my sister and my mother. Their embrace was the only thing that could make me feel better. I missed them so much it physically hurt. At least soon, that pain would disappear.

To my left, I heard a loud horn bellow. The train sped forward, its headlight grew larger with each second. Lights flashed at the level crossing, two long stripped barriers lowered on each side of the country road. With a shaky breath I ducked under the barrier, positioning my feet steadily on one track of the two that were there. I waited. In the dark I could see the wheels rattling as the train hurried on. Two minutes from now I would be free. I closed my eyes, picturing my family waiting for me. My hands gripped the sides of my shirt subconsciously as I knew the impact would be here soon.

"Hey!" the scream was small, but loud enough for me to open my eyes. I was blinded by the bright light. "Move!" they yelled more forcefully. I stood there frozen. Almost. So close. The wind knocked out of me as I fell onto my back, my head bounced on wooden tracks. I leaned on my side, gasping for air then a strong gust of wind blew my hair back, wheels raced by on the tracks in front of my feet. I felt something grab my arms and pull me back behind the barrier.

My bottom landed harshly on the asphalt. I reached up to touch the back of my head, my fingertips were sticky with blood when I looked down at them. The back of my arms was scraped and bruised from the harsh fall. "Shit." Only then did I look up to see the man who ruined my night. The moonlight glistened on his shaggy blonde hair. He leaned down as he took off the school backpack and threw it next to me, it landed with a heavy thud. "Are you okay?" I focused more on his face, he looked young but still older than me. His mouth hung open slightly as he breathed heavily. I noticed one of his front teeth were chipped. "That looks bad," his hand reached out to touch the bleeding wound on my head. I leaned away before he could. "Sorry, sorry," he held his hands up in defense. "What the hell were you doing out here?"

My legs wobbled as I pushed myself up on my feet. That was a bad idea. Blood rushed to my head and I stumbled forward to keep from falling. Black dots danced across my vision. "Woah, take it easy," the blonde boy gripped my elbow securely. I slowly came to the realization what had happened. I was still here, still breathing, still without my family. Instinctively I jerked my arm away from his grasp. The street barriers rose once the train had passed and the lights stopped blinking. Tears stung my eyes as I watched the train disappear into darkness. The small city's lights twinkled from the direction I came.

"Hey, where are you going?" he called after me. I stepped over the tracks carefully not to lose balance and fall. When I reached the other side, I wiped my wet cheeks with the sleeve of my aviator jacket. I almost had them back. "Wait!" I turned. The blonde stumbled over to me quickly, he adjusted the back pack over his shoulders. "Should I call someone?" he reached for his backpack.

I adverted my eyes. "No," my voice was quiet and broken. I continued to walk. With each step my head pounded, I pressed my cut-up hands against my throbbing temples. Next thing I knew fell onto my knees, the world seemed to be rolling like a wave in the ocean.

"You might have a concussion," the boy crouched beside me. He lowered his head undermine and looked at me. I tilted my head up, his face blurred before focusing again. "Look, my place is right down the road," he pointed at the old street winding further away. "I can find you a ride and clean that out." His eyes darted to the throbbing wound. I didn't answer, I swore if I did I would throw up. "Come on." He swung my arm around his shoulders. I pushed myself onto my feet. A strong arm wrapped around my torso, fingers pressed into my side.

It took a while for us to get into the same foot pattern. He was much taller than me, at least by five inches. My arm hurt as I was forced to stretch to keep it around his wide shoulders. I blinked slowly, my feet dragged behind me and I almost dropped to the ground. He caught me somehow with both arms, my head dropped low, blood pounded against my skull. "Almost there," he grunted. "Come on." I felt my feet lift off the ground. My body bounced as he adjusted me into a bridal carry. My eyes struggled to stay open, limbs flailing limply as my head rolled to the right, into his chest.

The sound of his shoes hitting asphalt changed to dirt and pebbles. Eventually we made it inside some sort of building. It smelled like old wood and rusty tools. I forced myself to look around. It was a small old barn, with boards missing, various farm tools nailed to the walls, and three dimmed lightbulbs lit the small bedroom like room. There was a folded-out table with books, a lamp, and a worn-down green swirl chair tucked in the corner along with a makeshift bookshelf of crates stacked on top of one another. To the right a twin sized bed, a faded quilt was folded neatly on the end, a blue comforter tucked under the mattress. Mismatched rugs of various colors and sizes covered the concrete flooring. Besides that, there was nothing. The door creaked shut. He carried me over to the bed, carefully placing me on the edge. The springs strained under the weight. I placed my feet on the ground.

The now very tried blonde boy reached under the bed and pulled out a plastic box, he popped off the lid. Inside were canned foods, a loaf of bread, and water bottles. He handed me one. It was warm. Shakily, I twisted off the cap. He sat down on the floor across from me, legs bent at the knee, and leaning back on his hands. I took small sips. The refreshing liquid soothed my dry throat.

"What were you doing out there?" he asked. His eyes looked over me and fell onto the white plastic hospital band around my wrist. I felt his stare burning into my face. When I didn't answer he said, "Were you at the, you know." Yes, I was. The only reason I was in this town somewhere in North Dakota is because I was sent to a, lets just say a place for crazies. I was told this one had the best success rate, but they didn't. At that moment I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. I winced and tentatively touched my bloody hair. "Right, sorry, I can get that."

He walked over to the crates filled with books and random papers. I looked at his clothes, he wore blue jeans that didn't fit him quite right, too small. And a grey hoodie. The left sleeve was stained with blood from carrying me here. I couldn't see what he was doing until he stood up. In his right hand he held a roll of gauze and ace bandages. He also carried a bottle of rubbing alcohol. On the bed he laid out the supplies.

"Look down, please," he told me. I did as he said, my head hurt too much to really care. I closed my eyes to keep the nausea at bay. "I have to wash out some of the blood, I can't see a thing." He examined the gash some more before bringing up a towel from under the bed. The towel was soft around my neck. "Okay, lean forward." I did. Luke warm water from the bottle I was drinking poured onto my hair. He made sure to keep the water from overflowing and dripping onto the bed or my clothes. He dabbed off the blood as best he could. "It's not that bad," he admitted. Sure felt like it. "This might burn a little." Before I could react, my scalp burned with a fiery pain. I gripped the comforter under me. How badly I wanted to scream out. "I know, I'm sorry." A gauze pad was pressed onto my head firmly. Pressure seemed to sooth the pain a little. With his free hand he grabbed the ace bandages and with great concentration, wrapped my head tightly but not too tight. He tossed the towel on the floor across the room. I touched the bandage covering my forehead, my black hair fell over it in messy curls.

"Thank you," I said, my tongue felt like sandpaper again.

"Of course," he smiled at me. There was a cardboard box beside the bed, aggressively tapped. He put his things on that instead of walking them back to his desk. "I'm Will," his hand stuck out in front of me. I looked up at him.

"Nico," I said. I did not return the greeting gesture. Will frowned and dropped his hand to his side.

After an uncomfortably long silence, Will sat down on his bed, keeping a respectful distance between us. I appreciated it. Although fear started to intrude my mind. I didn't exactly know where I was, or who this person was, or why he lived in an abandoned shed. My knees were pressed together tightly, and my hands were still gripping the blanket. I glanced at the front door, there seemed to be a lock, but it wasn't by key, only could be locked on the inside. That gave me a sense of relief. I looked around more. The tools that hung on display were shovels, axes, and saws. My chest tightened. I can't get my head chopped off, that was not part of my plan.

Will cleared his throat. I dropped my head low and stared intensely at my shoes. "I have a phone, if you want to call, someone can probably take you back." I glared at him.

"I'm not going back," I whispered. I'm not going. They couldn't keep me there. I'm eighteen now, they can't force me to stay. I shuddered at the thought of a nurse forcing me to take another pill or strap me down in me bed when I refused. Every time I took those pills my mind scrambled. All day I would stare out a window in a chair, dressed in white gowns. The train would pass every hour. I would think about what the train is capable of. If only I could get to it. Before I could continue planning an escape, another nurse or doctor would give me a cup of assorted medicines. Then I would forget. I closed my eyes and shook the memory out of my head. Just a memory now. I'm not going back.

"Okay," Will said. "You can crash here if you want." He stood up. There was a large wooden chest at the end of the bed I didn't notice before. The lock clicked open, he dug around in the clothes. Finally, he pulled out two other quilts. He tossed them onto the bed. "Are you hungry?" My stomach growled, I nodded. "Sweet," he sat on the bed once more and grabbed a can of chili from inside the plastic box. The tin can had a tab that easily removed the lid. "I can't heat it up, though. Chiron is probably asleep, I don't want to wake him up," he explained. I watched him balance two paper bowls on the bed between us, the chili fell into them. He tried to split it equally.

"Chiron?" I asked. The tense muscles in my arms and legs released at the thought of someone else being around. Will stuck a plastic spoon into both bowls.

"He lives in the big blue house across the strawberry field." I remembered looking at the strawberry fields far in the distance when I would sit in my old room. I wondered what it would look like up close. Will held out a bowl for me. I took it gratefully. His smile was seemingly perfect, except for the chipped tooth. "He lets me stay here for exchange of working in the fields," he shoveled a spoon full of chili in his mouth. I tried to listen to him, but the food was too good. Way better than chicken broth and unsalted crackers three times a day. Under a minute I inhaled the whole meal. Will looked at me with wide eyes.

"Sorry," I said. I placed the empty bowl on top of the cardboard box.

Will laughed, it sounded foreign. I haven't heard someone genuinely laugh in a long time. "Don't worry, I know how hungry I get sometimes." He sighed as he ate his food. I stared at the wall across the room.

I was uncomfortable, but I was happy I was at least away from where I came from. Yet I wasn't where I wanted to be. So close. So close to my family. "You shouldn't have pushed me," I said.

Will turned his head to look at me. "What?" the empty bowl was tossed onto the floor.

I felt tears swell up in the corners of my eyes. "I wanted it," god, I really did, still did. Spending another night in this hell was excruciating. Imagine finding the thing you've searched for and it being forced out of your grasp and leaving you right where you started. "You shouldn't have pushed me." I blinked, a single tear escaped my eye, quickly I wiped it away. Maybe tomorrow night I could try again. Yes, tomorrow night.

Will shook his head. "Nico, right?" he wanted for a response I never gave. "I'm not going to apologize for saving your life. I know you might think this is the only solution, but it's not."

Know? He didn't know me. He barley remembered my name. He doesn't know what I've been through or who I am. How could he possibly say such things? My brow knit together in confusion and anger. I forced myself up, taking two steps towards the door until Will was blocking my path. He held his hands up to stop me.

"You can't leave," he said sternly. I shot him a glare and tried to step around him. He held out his arm. "Just sleep it off, okay? You can go in the morning if you want. I want to keep an eye on your head just in case." I thought about what he had said. He was right in some way. I had nowhere to stay tonight. Sleeping on the side of the road didn't sound fun or warm. Tomorrow he can show me where exactly I am, and I will then decide what to do. I nodded. He sighed in relief, smiling.

Will returned to where we were sitting. He took a quilt, grabbed both ends and shook it out so it lay almost perfectly on the rug beside the bed. The other quilt was fluffed and positioned as a pillow. I walked over to the temporary bedding.

"No you don't," Will smirked as he saw me about to lay down on the ground. His hands gripped my shoulders and gently moved me over to the real bed. "You sleep here." I opened my mouth to reject. He simply waved his hand at me. "You're the one with a traumatic head injury. You get the bed." He smiled again, something he tended to do a lot, like he was filled with a bright joy that could never be extinguished. His eyes darted across my face. Will cleared his throat, "If you get cold let me know. I have a tiny heater."

He stood over the chest full of clothes. Will pulled down his jeans without a care in the world. I quickly looked away and sat down on the bed, busying myself with untying my shoes. I swore I heard him chuckle, or that was my imagination. I felt my cheeks grow warmer, I pushed down the sensitive feeling I was having. Certain guys seemed to have that effect on me for some reason. Every time the attractive male nurse Jackson with perfectly combed hair and sea green eyes would check in on me I would stumble over my words. I'm not gay, I knew that. I had a girlfriend in middle school, we even kissed once. Just sometimes I get flustered around certain people.

After I slipped my feet out of the black sneakers, Will lit a candle stick by his fake pillow on the floor. "Scared of the dark," he shrugged. He wore basketball shorts and a white tank top. I could see that he was much more built then I first thought. Compared to him I was like a twig. Then he flipped off the lights with a well-hidden switch by the door. Will collapsed on the quilt. His stomach resting against the floor, his arms crossed under the folded-up quilt to support his head better. I was thankful for the flickering candle light, it gave a warm feeling throughout the little home Will had made for himself. In some way, I was jealous of the life he lived, making his own decisions, a place to call his own.

I allowed myself to relax, laying down on a bed that wasn't in a psych ward was heaven. Truly something beautiful sent by an angel. I tucked myself under the comforter. I stared at the ceiling, trying my best to recall every memory I had of my mother and sister. I focused intensely. First, I remembered my sister calming me down after a thunderstorm. We were in our room, mom was soundly asleep in the other room. Bianca, my sister, hummed a simple tune as she weaved her fingers through my hair. I cried into her shoulders, with each thunder or flash from lightening I hugged her tighter. She continued to comfort me until the storm had passed. "See?" she told me. "All better now."

Then I remembered her on the bathroom floor, vomit stained her clothes and covered the toilet. She slumped against the wall. I panicked at the sight before me. Rushing down the stairs, I screamed at our foster parent at the time to hurry, that Bianca was sick. I was only ten at the time. I shook her shoulders, but her head rolled side to side. Hot tears streamed down my face. The foster parent called 911. I held my sister as we waited. Her hair sticky with sweat, she leaned against me. I hummed her the same lullaby mom would sing to us. All I could do was watch as three men in uniform placed her on a gurney and carried her into an ambulance. She squeezed my hand reassuringly before I was pulled back. The doors shut. They drove her away. I wouldn't see her until two days later.

"Nico?" Will's whisper pulled me out of deep thought. I didn't realize I'd been crying, I wiped my eyes quickly with the palm of my hand. My body trembled, trying to calm itself down. I felt the mattress sink to my right. Will was leaning over me, his knees on the floor. "Are you okay?" My lip quivered, I looked away. "Is it your head?" His fingertips brushed the bandage on my fore head.

"N-no," I stuttered. My breathing hiccupped, I wiped my tears again. Will slowly straightened his legs and sat on the bed. He placed his hand on my shoulder. I pulled away in shock, maybe even fear.

"It's okay," he whispered very softly. "Deep breaths." His thumb slid back and forth. I took a shaky deep breath. It didn't seem to be working. Will must have noticed because he laid down on his side next to me. His right arm wrapped around my chest and squeezed.

"W-What are you doing?" I asked. I tried to pull back. He tightened his hold on me.

"Shh," I felt his breath against my cheek. "Pressure helps. Keep breathing." His left arm found its way under my neck. I laid there, my shoulder digging into his chest, his arm holding me. I focused on my breathing. His method was working. I calmed down fairly quickly. "Better?" he whispered. I shuddered, not realizing before how close his mouth was to my neck.

"Yes," I told him. I tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but he wouldn't give. "Will," I turned my head towards him. The light from the candle turned the ends of his hair into a beautiful sunset yellow. Kind blue eyes stared back. He raised his eye brows in a question. "You can let go now."

"Oh," his face knit into confusion. His arm limped over my chest. "If you want me to, sure." I did want him to, I think. Will looked at me, when he noticed my facial expression didn't change, he slid his arm out from under my head and sat up. "If you need anything, let me know." He patted my leg then returned to his terribly uncomfortable bed.

I felt a sting of guilt in my chest. But it would've been weird, two strangers sleeping together, especially two men. I couldn't wrap my head around the idea. Well I could, but that was beside the point. No one looked at me like that, with attraction, never. There has never been one person who tried to make a sexual advance on me. I came to the realization that I was just unattractive, no sugar-coated reason. Why am I thinking about this? This isn't important.

I turned on my side, facing the wall. I watched the shadows flicker with the small light coming from behind him. How much time passed, I don't know. I breathed in the pillows scent of grass and strawberries, my eyes fluttered shut. In the matter of an instant the world around me shut off. I was pulled into a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

My muscles ached as I forced myself to sit up. Slowly, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. A large bright light above me stunned me for a minute. When I was able to see clearly, I looked around. I laid in a stiff bed, with a paper pillow case under my head, a very thin sheet covered me. A white hospital gown was the only thing that kept me from being completely naked. All four walls were white, and the tiles had a blue triangle pattern. To my left a large window over looked the small town. A train sped by. Oh no.

I raised my right arm to remove the white sheet, but a thick strap yanked me back. I pulled at the strap holding my other wrist down. _Bang, bang. _The concrete door that kept me inside vibrated with such force. Heart beating faster I kicked my legs to free my ankles. Nothing happened. Loud bangs continued.

"No," I screamed. Tears stained my cheeks. "No!"

I jolted awake. My chest heaved, I felt a droplet of sweat drip off my hair and down the back of my neck. The aviator jacket I wore the night before was huddled into a pile next to my feet. I looked to my right. Will was still fast asleep on his stomach, the same position as before. Instead his left arm stayed by his side and the other held his head up. In the small barn morning sunlight streamed through the cracks and holes in the walls. My head snapped towards the door as another three loud bangs rattled the lock.

"Will," I whispered with urgency. He didn't answer. "Will." I said again. The pillow I slept on smacked against his head. He groaned annoyingly and turned his head to face the other way. I reached down to my sneakers, gripped one tightly, then aimed for Will's back.

"Ow!" he yelled. His propped himself up on an elbow. "Oh, good morning," his voice was low and husky. He smiled sleepily at me. Indents from the crumpled quilt traced widely on his left cheek.

Another loud bang. Will grunted as he forced himself to stand. The muscles in his arms flexed when they stretched above his head. I heard his shoulders pop. His mouth dropped open with a big yawn. Clumsily he tripped walking to the door. I pulled my knees up, ready to... ready to what? Run? There was nowhere to go.

Will pulled the door open. I expected to see a sheriff, or a doctor. Instead I saw an older man in an industrialized wheelchair. He pushed Will out of the way to come inside, using a stick at the end of the arm chair to control his direction. The wheels looked like miniature versions on a truck. A knitted blanket covered the man's legs, tips of black dress shoes stuck out. He wore a tan blazer with a blue vest and collard white shirt. Wavy brown hair touched his shoulders. A full beard covered most of his face, there were glimpses of grey hairs. He looked wise thanks to the deeply engraved winkles on his forehead, and smile lines around his brown eyes.

"I swear you are deaf," the man shook his head. The wheelchair parked on an old blue circle rug. He pointed at the bowl from dinner on the floor. Old dried chili stained the bottom. "This is a mess!" Will sighed and picked it up. "Thank you, at least keep this place nice or ants will-" he stopped once he noticed me sitting in the bed.

I pressed my back against the wall, knees pulled up to my chest. I glanced between the older man and Will.

The man's face changed from annoyance to anger. He looked at Will with a scowl. "Really? Another one? I gave you the weekend to study, not pick up another guy at the bar." Will opened his mouth in shock, he looked at me. The wheelchair moved towards me, rolling over the blankets on the floor with ease. The man leaned forward as much he could. Cologne filled my nostrils. He looked over my bandage. "What happened?"

Will answered, "He fell. Cut up his head pretty bad." I mentally thanked him for not explaining more.

The man nodded before leaning back comfortably. "Make sure you change it before you come inside." He pulled the stick back, and the wheel chair mimicked his motions. Once he was out the door Will sighed in relief.

"That was Chiron," Will told me. His fingers gently unwrapped the bandage. It felt nice for my head not to be squeezed so tightly.

"Oh," I said. Then I thought about what Chiron said, about going to the bar. "You pick up guys?"

Will turned to the cardboard box. He twisted the lid off the alcohol bottle, pressed a clean gauze pad over it and tipped it over. The alcohol soaked into the cotton. "He's over exaggerating." Will peeled the old pad carefully off the gash, dried blood ripped off the skin around it. I flinched. "Sorry, going to sting again."

He pressed the new gauze firmly on my head. It did sting. A lot. I waited for it to pass. After it did he grabbed the same ace bandage. "You're gay?" I asked bluntly. I saw the muscles in his arms tense. He rolled his shoulders back before focusing on wrapping my head.

"Is that a problem?" his voice was stern, as if ready to pick a fight.

"No, I guess not." It shouldn't be a problem. But it did explain why this guy wanted me to come to his place, and sleep in his bed. "I'm not." I looked up at him. He tucked the end of the bandage in for it to hold.

"Not what?" He placed his hands on his hips looking over his handy work.

"Not gay." I watched his face. He looked down at me, the corners of his mouth pulled downward, he raised his eye brows.

"Hm," he said. Will walked over to the wooden chest. He pulled out a blue v neck.

"What?" I asked. I didn't like the sound he made.

Will smirked as he pulled the tank top over his head. Abs flexed under his skin. His California tan made them look even more defined. I might have stared for too long. "Nothing," he laughed. His arms slid through the v neck. I guess he decided to keep the black shorts on. "Come on. He's probably got breakfast started."

He waited for me to tie my sneakers. Before I followed him out the door I slipped my aviator jacket on. I still wore the white shirt from the hospital, and a pair of black jeans I found in the lost and found before sneaking out. Will closed the door behind us.

Outside it was very beautiful. A gravel road twisted to the left and right, there was still morning due on blades of grass. On the right I saw acres of strawberry fields. The plants were maybe as tall as my knees. I hoped I would be able to walk through it. Nestled amongst the strawberries, a big blue ranch house rested. It was two stories, windows decorated the old peeling paint. A deck wrapped around the whole house, I could see random lawn chairs facing the fields. There were few trees surrounding the small barn and blue house, but still provided enough shade to keep them cool. Above me fluffy white clouds chased the slight breeze. The morning sun felt fantastic on my face. I smiled to myself, glad to be outside. In the psych ward I was only allowed an hour a day on the patio.

"Come on," Will motioned me to follow him down the road leading to the ranch house.

Birds chirped in the trees as we walked by. I could already feel the summer heat creeping up on me. The floorboards of the steps leading to the front door creaked under our feet. Will held the door open for me. I stepped inside. The sitting area was very warm and inviting. A sofa and leather arm chair faced a large fireplace. On the mantel there were many pictures of what looked like a young Chiron standing amongst a group of kids. Opened newspapers covered the coffee table, a glass bowl full of pinecones sat in the middle. In front of the door a wooden staircase led up to the second floor, an entrance to an office was closed next to where we stood. I saw another door inside the office, I wondered where that led too.

Down the hallway to the left of the stair case I smelt bacon. I followed Will towards what I guessed was the kitchen. More pictures hung on the wall as we walked by, Chiron riding a horse, Chiron helping a young blonde girl onto a horse, kids surrounding a campfire as Chiron told a story. There were many more similar to these.

The kitchen was huge. Baby blue wood cabinets covered the wall where the refrigerator was. An island separated the cooking area from the dining table. The table was actually two different dining tables, pressed against each other. Most of the chairs matched but some were random. Like they ran out of space. At one end of the table a chair was missing. Sunlight streamed in the kitchen from two large glass sliding doors, which led to the deck and a backyard with a campfire. There was a much larger barn out back. Surrounding the yard and barn were more strawberries.

Chiron had his arm raised above a stove, he poked at the sizzling bacon with metal tongs. The floor creaked as Will walked over to him. I stood in the doorway of the kitchen, not knowing where to go. He noticed a bowl of strawberries on the island countertop. He bit into one, jumping up and sitting on the counter next to the stove. Chiron smacked his leg with the tongs.

"Hey!" Will slid off reluctantly.

"Disgusting," Chiron mumbled to himself. He held up a piece of bacon and let the grease drip off then placed it on a plate covered with a paper towel. "Pour the orange juice, William." William?

The annoyed blonde boy did as he was told, he took three glasses from a cabinet and placed them on the table. He noticed me standing awkwardly. "You can sit," he pointed to a chair on the end. I sat. Will brought over a plastic pitcher of orange juice from the fridge, he poured the juice into each glass. I took a sip from the glass in front of me. It was very refreshing.

Chiron held the plate of bacon, and brought it over to the table, he placed it in the center of where we would all be sitting. Will then set the plates and forks. "Grab the eggs," Chiron said. He made the wheel chair move backwards, forwards, until he was comfortable seated on the end.

Will returned with a large plate of scrambled eggs. He sat down across from me. With an antique serving spoon, Will scooped some eggs onto Chiron's plate then his own. He held the spoon out for me to grab. I filled my plate. Chiron used the tongs to give everyone two pieces of bacon.

"What's your name, son?" Chiron asked me. Will opened his mouth to speak but Chiron held up his finger.

"Nico," I said, holding the fork in my right hand, "di Angelo."

"Ah, angel," he raised his glass to his lips for a sip. "Hai un nome bellissimo." The sudden Italian shocked me. I looked at him.

"Sì, il nome da nubile di mia madre," I smiled.

"Um," Will cleared his throat. "I don't know Spanish." He swallowed the eggs he was chewing.

Chiron put the glass down. "Italian, my boy," he corrected Will.

I broke off a piece of bacon. It was delicious. I took another bite.

"How is your head?" Chiron ignored Wills confusion.

"Better," I told him. That was true. It would only hurt if I had to scratch my head or turned too quickly. I reached for the orange juice.

"Were you released?"

"What?" Chiron pointed at the band around my wrist. I quickly retracted my hand and placed it in my lap. I panicked. "Y-Yes," I stuttered nervously.

Chiron glanced at Will who was busy shaking pepper on his bacon and eggs. He was silent for a moment. "Well, you can stay here as long as you'd like." Chiron smiled at me reassuringly. "You can use William's old room upstairs."

"Wait what?" Will responded to hearing his name.

"Old room?" I pressed. I thought Will lived in a shack.

Chiron nodded. "After his twenty first birthday he insisted in living in that old run-down barn," he shook his head disapprovingly.

"I needed space," Will shrugged.

I took a bite of scrambled eggs. "I didn't think you were his father," he admitted. They looked nothing alike.

A deep warm laugh erupted from Chiron. He looked at Will and laughed harder.

Will glared at the old man. "Now that's just rude."

After Chiron settled down he wiped at his eyes. "William stayed at our summer camp."

"Camp?" I said. That made more sense. All the pictures and giant house.

"Yes, many children would come here for a few months. This one stuck around," he patted Wills hand.

"Chiron basically raised me," Will shrugged and poked at the rest of his food with the fork.

"Parents would send their children with all sorts of disabilities here," Chiron explained. "We used horses to teach them responsibilities and make friends. It was a big hit. William has ADHD and dyslexia, he struggled with depression most of his life-"

"Alrighty," Will interrupted. "Are you finished?" he pointed at my empty plate. I nodded. He stacked all five plates on top of each other and carried them to the sink.

"He's a little sensitive," Chiron whispered at me. "Why don't you go help him clean up." The wheelchair backed up, he turned into the hallway. I heard the floors creak under the wheels.

I watched Will turn on the faucet. He placed the plates under the running water. I didn't know what to do in this situation. Based off his body language I knew he was upset, I understood that. Although this wasn't my place to interfere or meddle with. I only just met these people. And I wouldn't be staying long. I collected the three glasses to set them next to the sink. Will was furiously scrubbing a plate with a blue sponge. Soap suds slipped down the drain. I thought about what to say.

"Sorry, about him," Will looked over at me. "I should've stopped him from talking. After what happened with you last night..."

Oh. He thought I was upset. I didn't know how to take in that information. Why would he be sorry? It's not like he, or Chiron, did anything. "It's okay," I said.

"Are you sure?" he put the plate in a drying rack. I nodded. He sighed. "Phew. Do you have any plans today?"

Today, no. Tonight, yes. My mind was already made up. And I'll make sure no one would be there to stop it from happening. "Later I do."

"Great," he grinned. My stomach fluttered. What was that? "I was going to pick some strawberries before it gets too hot, if you wanted to join?"

"That would be great," I tried to muffle my excitement. After months of just looking out a window, I'll finally get to experience it myself.

I helped dry the dishes for Will while he washed. Just watching made me uncomfortable. He showed me where they went in the cabinets. When we were done Will picked up a blue bucket that laid on its side near the glass doors. They slid back easily. Warm summer heat swallowed me like a hug. We walked past the camp fire, which seemed to be put out for a long time. Grass grew between the logs and burned circle.

Will tossed the bucket on the ground when we reached a row of strawberries. Every few feet another row was lined up, they went for a few miles. I followed Wills motion of sitting on his knees. The sun shined down on our heads. The jacket I wore felt like it was suffocating me, so I shrugged it off my shoulders.

"I usually just fill this bucket when I'm not working," Will plucked a juicy red strawberry.

"Is it just you?" The strawberry landed with a small thud in the bucket. I looked for a ripe berry amongst the leaves.

"No. A few other guys come during the week. Usually kids at the high school," he picked another one.

"Oh," I spotted a red one, the berry was small but looked ripe. I tossed it in the bucket.

"Yeah," Will looked focused on the task at hand. "After I graduated, I came back here. Couldn't stand living with my dad." The air between us tensed. "Anyway, where did you go to school?"

"A lot of places," I thought about the constantly bullying I experienced throughout my time at school. For some reason, I never made a real friend. Maybe they thought I was too weird. I tried to forget being called a faggot in gym class, but it still popped into my head. "I was in foster care."

Will straightened his back. Sweat started to collect on the fabric under his arm pits. "I'm sorry. What happened?"

I stared at the plant, my hands rested on my thighs. What happened? Everything happened. My mom died, the state took us to a home with fifteen other kids. My sister got sick and slowly perished into nothing. Then I got worse. And they had to take me away. I swallowed a lump in my throat. "I don't want to talk about it," my voice cracked.

We didn't speak much while we were outside. Each time Will noticed all the ripe strawberries were picked we would move to the next plant. I'll be honest, it felt really good to be doing something. I barely even thought because I was so focused on finding the best strawberries. By the end of it, I was dripping with sweat and my hands were covered in dirt. I wiped my brow with my forearm.

Will stood up first, stretching his back and legs. The v neck he wore hung low from the weight of his sweat. He pulled the bottom of his shirt up to wipe his face off. I was forced to stare at his chest and abs. There was a well-defined V that pointed down to his crotch. His stomach glistened in the sun. I couldn't tell if I was hot from blushing or the sun. Will dropped his shirt. He noticed me staring and smirked. "Like what you see?" he winked at me.

I stumbled on my words. "I'm..."

He laughed. I grabbed his hand that was reached out to me. His bicep flexed as he helped me up. "I know, calm down." He walked between the row of strawberries.

I picked up my jacket before running to catch up. Will was already opening the glass door, the bucket dropped on the kitchen floor. Cool air shocked my overheated body as I stepped inside.

"Come on. Shower time," he kicked off his dirty shoes. I did the same.

Upstairs there were at least five bed rooms, their doors were open. Inside each had a bunk bed, dresser, and a desk. Besides the room in the center on the right, they were all empty. Wills room, I'm guessing, didn't look touched. The bed was neatly made, the desk only had a lamp and nothing else. Directly in front of the stairs were two identical bath rooms. Blue shower curtain and mats decorated them. Will flicked the light switch on in one of them.

"There's towels under the sink," he pushed back the shower curtain to show me the faucet. "The more you turn the handle, the hotter it gets. Be careful though it's touchy." He stepped out into the hallway, leaving me standing by the sink. "Oh," he turned around, "try not to get your bandage wet. Don't want bacteria growing." He winked at me then closed the door.

I looked in the mirror above the sink counter. My skin was pale, very pale, as a kid I used to have olive skin but that was before I started staying inside more. Dark bags hung under my eyes from lack of sleep. My hair looked crazy. It tried to frizz because of the heat I was in, but the ace bandage kept it flat against my head.

To remove my clothes, I had to look away from the mirror. I hated looking at myself for long periods of time. The towels under the sink were warm and fluffy. I hung one on the hook next to the shower. The water did take a while to adjust to the right temperature. It was great, having the water run down my back. My muscles relaxed under the hot water. The bar of soap looked new enough, I lathered it with water before scrubbing the dirt and sweat off my body. My hand rubbed over old scars on my thighs and stomach. They were healed over, I haven't been able to do anything at the hospital. They kept sharp items very secure. The whole time I made sure to keep my head dry. Carefully I titled my face towards the shower head. Using the bar of soap, I washed my face.

I turned off the faucet and grabbed the towel. It wrapped securely around my waist. I stepped over the tub. I head a quick tap on the door.

"Hey, I brought you some clothes," Will swung the door open with a folded shirt and pants tucked under his arm. His blonde hair dripped beads of water on the blue tee shirt. Instead of basketball shorts he wore dark blue jeans. "Oh," Will looked me up and down. He turned his head to look away but didn't. My face heated up from blushing. "Here," he handed me the clothes.

"Thanks," I gripped them tightly.

Will's Adam's apple on his throat bobbed up and down. "Right, sorry, I'll go," he nodded his head. "I'll be downstairs. Okay, cool." The door shut.

The image of Will standing in a shower completely naked washed over me like a powerful force. Stop thinking like that. I quickly dressed in the clothes he brought me. Thankfully they fit. The tee shirt was black with orange lettering spelling out "Camp Half-Blood." The jeans were almost identical to the ones Will was wearing, but they were faded where my knees bent. I slipped the socks over my feet. There was an empty laundry basket next to the door, I dropped the dirty clothes in there, thinking I would just grab them when I left.

Downstairs Will sat in the middle of the sofa with his feet on the coffee table. His phone was turned to its side.

"A patient from psychiatric hospital, Lockwood, escaped late last night," a female news reporter spoke into a microphone. I stood behind Will watching the screen. In the background they showed the entrance to the hospital. "Nico di Angelo," security footage of myself screaming and hitting a nurse played, the women continued talking, "is known to be a danger to himself and to others. If you see this man, call 911 immediately." Will shut off his phone.

I took a step back, the floor creaked. Will turned his head around. "Nico," he said.

Every possible scenario ran through my mind. Will turns me in, they take me back to the hospital. I'm forced into a straight jacket and thrown into a padded room for days. They force pills down my throat. I forget who I am. I forget what happened to me. They strap me down on a bed where I spend the rest of my life. My whole body shook with fear.

"Nico," Will stood up. He slowly walked around the couch to me. "Calm down."

Before he could touch me, I shoved the palms of my hands into his chest. He stumbled backwards. I ran to the front door. It flew open, a second later I was tumbling down the steps. My shoulder landed into the gravel, my head bounced on impact. I groaned as the old wound throbbed against the gauze.

"Nico!" Will was by my side. His hands grabbed my arm.

"Get off me!" I screamed. I kicked and punched.

"Nico, Nico. Stop," he wrapped his arms around me to pin down my flying fists. My back pressed against his chest. I bent my right arm and thrust my elbow back. It did nothing to him. "It's okay." I became limp in his arms. "It's okay," he whispered.

We sat there, with the sun beating down on our backs. Will continued to hold me until my breathing returned to normal and my hands stopped trembling.

"Better?" he asked. I nodded. He loosened the strong hold on me, his hand stayed pressed against my chest, rubbing small circles. "Let's talk to Chiron. It'll be okay." Will helped me on my feet. He kept a hand on my waist.

Chiron was in his office, behind a large mahogany desk. Oil paintings hung on the walls which had a dark green wallpaper. He scrolled on a computer screen, eyes moving back and forth.

"Chiron," Will said. We stood in the doorway. I worried about what would happen next. I needed to do something. Chiron looked up.

"I know. I've read the articles," he leaned back. Articles? How much has happened in the past day? Chiron noticed the concern in my face. "Don't worry, son. You can stay here as long as you want."

"No," I shook my head. I didn't quite believe that this man would take in a stranger so quickly without question. "No, I need to leave."

"Nico," Will said. I looked up at him. "Do you actually have a place to go?" I didn't respond. "Exactly. So, you can stay here, and we'll," he pointed at Chiron and himself, "help you figure this all out. Yeah?"

"I don't know," I said.

"It'll be great," Will smiled. "We can order a pizza tonight, watch a movie."

Everything started to overwhelm me. If I was found here, I knew things wouldn't end well. And the talk about pizza and movies made my head hurt. Why was he making this seem so nonchalant? This wasn't time for a sleep over. I had serious problems that needed to be solved. Not brushed over.

"William, this is too much for him right now," Chiron said. "Don't overdo it."

Will looked down at me and finally removed his hand from my waist. "I'm sorry, I just thought it would take your mind off things." By the tone of his voice I could tell he was sincere. I felt guilty for some reason.

"Relax for now, Nico," Chiron smiled at me. "We will talk more over dinner tonight."

I thanked him and left his office. Wanting to get some air, I walked into the kitchen, through the glass door, and on to the deck. The steps leading down to the grass were covered with shade, so I sat there. My head hurt, I pressed my hand against my forehead. The glass door slid. I looked behind me, Will had his hands in his front pockets. He bit his bottom lip.

"May I?" he motioned at the spot next to me with his elbow. I gave him a quick nod. Will took his hands out of his pockets as he sat down. His legs were longer than mine. The sun made his hair glow. "Can I ask you something?"

I glanced over at him. His eyes locked with mine. I looked away embarrassed. "Okay."

"Why were you in there in the first place?"

I tugged on my pant leg as the memory slowly surfaced. "It's kind of dark," I warned him.

"I can handle it," he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees.

After a deep breath I said, "I left school early one day, after... after something happened." I left out the fact that a few boys on the soccer team cornered me in the hallway after lunch. They punched and kicked me in the stomach. When they were satisfied with themselves, they walked away laughing with each other. "I was just tired. Of everything you know? So, I went to my room closed the door." I shrugged. "The ceiling fan wasn't very strong, I guess."

Will didn't say anything for a while. "I crashed my dad's car into a tree."

"What?" I looked at him shocked. I expected an apology or something but not that.

He laughed halfheartedly. "A few years ago, I took my dad's keys and drove his car straight into a tree. Flew out the window."

"Wow," I mumbled. Picturing him laying on a car hood with glass inside him made me queasy. "Why?"

"Same as you, was tired of everything. But it's all good. I'm okay now." Then he placed his hand on my back. "I do know what you're going through. And I am going to help you. Okay?"

I looked into his bright blue eyes. They were sad, yet beautiful and calming. "Okay."

"Hug?" he lifted his other arm in the air.

"No," I leaned back and put my hands up, "no, that's fine."

"I'm going to hug you." He did.

Will squeezed me into a big hug, his hand rubbed my back. I couldn't help but sink into him. For some reason I felt safe. I turned my head into his neck, my arms crept around him and squeezed back. He smelt faintly of strawberries and shampoo. I relaxed under his touch. He pulled back slightly. His left hand cupped my cheek. I felt his breath on my lips, sending a shiver down my spine. In a split second I shoved him back.

"I'm n-not gay," I stood up. I avoided his eyes.

Will face palmed himself. "Fuck. I'm sorry Nico."

I stumbled trying to say something else, but nothing came. Instead of waiting for him to speak I went back inside the kitchen, basically ran up the stairs into the same bathroom I used before. I slammed the door and locked it.

What was happening? I sat on the toilet seat with my head in my hands. The throbbing came back. This is all too much. Tears dripped onto my jeans, not from sadness but confusion. Why did Will do that? I didn't understand. I didn't want to. In the dark room, I sat there, hoping to god no one would ever find me.


	3. Chapter 3

I was in the bathroom for a while, at least it felt that way. Many old thoughts and memories came back, as they usually do when I am alone for long periods of time. To explain more clearly, if I were asked to write each thought memory down, I would most likely go mad. My head becomes too loud, too busy. Once that passes I barely remember why I broke down in the first place. But the impact of these panic attacks are more server than it looks. For me anyway.

There was a tightness in my chest that wouldn't go away, it counted to build up the longer I thought, the more I listened to myself. I brought my knees up to my chest to rest my head. Exhaustion is the best way to describe how I felt. Muscles in my arms and legs ached. The urge to drift asleep washed over me like a wave. Before I could drift off completely a light knock on the bathroom door woke me up.

"Nico?" It was Will, obviously. He spoke in a hushed tone, I had to strain myself to hear him. "Can I come in?" The door knob squeakily turned.

My head snapped up. "No," I said, sterner than I expected.

I heard Will sigh, his shadow darkened under the door frame. Based off the slight bang he was sitting with his back against the door, or his shoulder. I couldn't tell.

"I'm sorry," Will said.

"I don't care," I leaned my head back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling lamp. Maybe that was too harsh, but I truly didn't care. Not at that moment. He should have thought about what he was doing. He didn't know me, and I didn't know him.

"I really am sorry," he said again. "Just come down stairs, yeah? I can make lunch, and Chiron made sweet tea."

My mind drifted off in a panic. I didn't want to see anyone, or talk to anyone. I wanted to be alone, for it to be silent. Desperately I wanted to fall asleep and never wake up. Exhausted. I'm exhausted.

"Nico?" Will asked.

I couldn't see him, not right now, not like this. My fists tightened in my hair, I pulled harshly. There was pain but not enough to distract me from anything. Especially from Will, who couldn't take a hint and just leave me alone.

"Hey, are you okay?" There was shuffling near the door, I didn't say anything.

Will's movements stressed me out more. I pounded my fists on the sides of my head with my eyes squeezed shut. _Shut up, shut up. _Bianca appeared in my head, blurry but I recognized her. Her face also brought back more heartache. It crashed into me without warning. It hurt, physically it hurt. Everything came back, the things she spoke during her last few days, the doctors, everything. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks. My arms grew tired. I banged the back of my head on the wall, hoping the pain would make her memory go away.

Will flung the door open, it slammed next to me. Scared, I pushed myself further back until I was leaning against the tub. I tucked my head down and used my arms to cover myself from any attack Will had planned. My body trembled as I waited. Used to people grabbing me and pinning me down, I curled into a ball, trying to make myself as small as possible. Thirty seconds passed, then a minute. Nothing happened. Slowly I looked up half expecting Will to be gone. He sat on the ground with his legs crossed, a few feet away fro me, his eyes darted across my face. How pathetic I must have looked to him. He seemed to be tense, yet I couldn't quite read his expression.

"What should I do?" he asked me. Like before, he kept his voice low.

Shaking I responded, "Don't touch me." I wiped under my eyes with the back of my hand. I saw Will nod in my peripheral. The small form of trust I made with him was shattered. No longer did I feel safe or comfortable. I grabbed at my hair out of instinct.

"I won't do it again," Will stared at the floor. His hair draped over his eyes.

I swallowed nervously. I didn't believe him. He needed to leave me alone. "Where's Chiron?" If I had to be with anyone I'd rather be with Chiron. For some reason he gave off this calming energy.

"The kitchen, I think," blue eyes peered through wavy blonde hair, there seemed to be a glint of hope within them. "Are you hungry?"

My stomach rumbled against my will, reluctantly giving him the answer. He pushed himself up then extended his hand out. I winched and leaned away. Will dropped his arm, shoulders slumped.

"I'll meet you downstairs," he forced a small smile before leaving.

I watched Will walk away until the top of his head disappeared down the stairs. This was the worst part, having to continue your day after a panic attack or break down. Acting like you didn't just rip out your heart and force it back in. How many times have I down this now? There was no reasonable answer.

I took my time getting up. First I sat on the toilet and waited until the world stopped spinning. Then I leaned against the counter to keep me steady. My knees felt weak and with each step my head pounded. I barley remember most of what happened. It took every ounce of energy in me not to fall down the stairs. The wooden paneling seemed to dance under my feet, making me slightly nauseas. I held onto the railing for dear life.

At the bottom of the stairs I heard Will in the kitchen. The front door was propped open letting a warm breeze flow through the house. I'm sure it would have been relaxing if I weren't already over overstimulated, something an old therapist explained to me. I noticed how the screen door shuttered with each gust of wind and how loud Will banged cabinet doors.

I was alone except for Chiron, who sat in his wheelchair near the window in the living room. He looked outside at nothing in particular. His hair was parted down the middle and neatly tucked behind his ears. The floor creaked as I stepped forward, I thought that I would be able to walk normally. I was wrong. I stumbled forward with my arms stretched out ready to catch myself as I fell harshly on my knees.

"Nico?" I heard Chiron say. Underneath me I felt the floor rumble as his wheelchair made its way to me.

I tried to get up but the sensation of vomiting stopped me from doing so. The next moment I'm not particularly proud of, because I'm sure Chrion's shoes were probably expensive. But I did, unfortunately and embarrassingly, throw up on him. My breakfast from earlier splattered across Chrion's legs, the walls, and the floor. He dropped his jaw in shock or most likely disgust. I leaned backwards from fatigue, immensely feeling better but also incredibly tired.

The last thing I remember before blacking out was Chiron yelling for Will. I woke up in a warm bed with a wool blanket pulled up to my chin. I was on my side, facing a window that over looked a barn and strawberry fields. White curtains with lace trim framed the glass, the sky was dark gray and small droplets of water slid down the window. The air in the room felt cool and refreshing. I took a deep breath. My forehead didn't have a tight ace bandage anymore, freeing my wild hair. The cut on my head was still sore and slightly swollen, but not nearly as bad.

Voices from behind me stole my attention. I rolled over on my back. I was in one of the empty bedrooms on the second floor. Another bed without sheets or blankets was to my right. There were few pictures of generic horses nailed to the walls. Besides that the room was plain and boring. In the hallway I saw a girl. She had long thick blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her white tee shirt was tucked into high wasted skinny jeans, and her brown combat boots were laced neatly.

The girl had her eyebrows furrowed and was pointing angrily at the two boys in front of her. Her pretty appearance didn't stop her from having a frightening glare. I couldn't quiet hear what she was saying so I didn't bother to try to listen. Even with his back facing me, I noticed Will was the one taking most of the heat from her. He waved his arms back and forth as if he was explaining something only he understood. The other boy, standing beside Will had his arms crossed. He wore a navy blue hoodie and khaki shorts. Something about him seemed familiar. I focused on his hair, dark black, over grown but not as long as Wills or mine. He was also taller than Will and more muscular.

My arms were stiff as I pushed myself up to a sitting position. The girl glanced over at me and shut her mouth. Will was the first to look over his shoulder. Once he saw me he smiled. Then the other boy turned and my stomach dropped. Bright emerald green eyes stared into mine. I remembered him from the hospital.

I was too overwhelmed with fear to say anything. Did Will turn me in? I'm such an idiot. How could I have stayed?

Will's smile grew when he walked towards the bed. The other two followed him. I pressed my back against the bed frame, pulling my knees up to my chest. My bottom lip trembled and I couldn't stop it. Will stood closest to me, my old nurse and the girl stood at the foot of the bed, she glared down at me. I kept my eyes on the nurses hands, waiting for them to reach for me and pull me away.

"Nico," Will said. I stole a glance at him. His smile was small now. "This is Annabeth and Percy," he pointed at them. My fists clenched the sheets. My whole body was tense, ready to flee at any moment.

Percy swallowed nervously, "We're-"

I flinched at the sound of his voice. Memories of him handing me paper cups of pills and glasses of water resurfaced. I remembered him standing there in the corner of my room as I was dragged away. I remembered him doing nothing but look the other way. I shook my head and pressed back further. My breathing increased rapidly.

"It's okay," Will spoke softly, "they're just going to drive Chiron to Lockwood."

As if it couldn't have gotten worse, it did. I looked up at Will, terror clearly spread across my face. His smile dropped immediately and crouched down so his head was at my level. He laid his hands on the bed.

"No, no, it's not like that. He's going to talk to Mr. D," Will said. I didn't know a Mr. D.

"Doctor Dionysus," Percy told me.

Oh god. Doctor Dionysus was supposedly my doctor during my stay at Lockwood. I don't remember actually meeting him but his name was written on my clipboard, medications, basically everything. I felt that intense nausea again.

"Don't worry," Will said. "Chiron is going to talk to him about your... situation."

My eyes watered. I brought my hands up to the sides of my head and gripped my hair. I couldn't think, or breathe. There was a tightness in my chest so strong that it felt as if a rope was being pulled around me.

"Will," I heard Annabeth say. Her voice sounded urgent. "Give him something."

Shaking my head vigorously I whispered, "No, no." I squeezed my eyes shut.

"I'm not giving you anything," Will spoke softly. Then his tone changed, angry even. "Get out Annabeth."

"What?" she said. I peered at her through my hair. She looked at Will as if she didn't do or say anything wrong.

Percy glared down at her. "We'll go get Chiron," Percy pulled Annabeth out the door by her arm.

Will waited until they were gone to speak. "Here," he placed a tissue on the blanket besides me. I looked at it wearily but made no move to grab it. "I'm sorry, that was a bad idea bringing them up here." Will sighed, "Annabeth doesn't realize she can sound mean sometimes."

I didn't think that was a good excuse. People know what they are saying, they know when they are hurting someone, they just don't care. Besides, it wasn't her I was particularly worried about. Though I felt a lot better once those two were gone. I took deep breaths and wiped under my eyes.

"Why is Chiron doing this?" I said, the feeling of vomiting gone.

Will cleared his throat, he stood then sat at the bottom of the bed. He stared at his hands. "Well, Chiron knows Mr. D. We all do."

I gave him a look. "You work there too?"

His eyebrows rose in shock. "Where?" he faltered, then it clicked in his head that I was speaking of Lockwood. "Of course not. That place looks like a prison."

"But that guy does," I looked in the hall just in case they were listening.

"Oh, Percy," he nodded. "Wait, you know him?"

I shakily took a deep breath. "He was one of my nurses."

Will scowled at the floor. "He didn't tell me that. I thought he was a janitor."

I shifted my legs uncomfortably, not wanting to be involved in this new conflict. "How do you know Dr. Dionysus?"

He rubbed his face with his right hand. Clearly he was not happy with his friend. "He used to run the camp, with Chiron."

"What happened?" I vaguely remembered seeing another man in those pictures downstairs. I didn't think much of it at the time.

"There was an accident, with Chiron and Mr. D," he looked at me, "it wasn't pretty. Then things just started falling apart. I guess Lockwood offered Mr. D a job and he took it. Honestly I didn't know he was an actual doctor, I thought he was just being a know it all," Will scoffed. "A couple years ago Chiron shut Half-Blood down since he couldn't do it all himself. That's the short version."

I stared out the window, watching the rain trail down the window. Small puddles filled around the old fire pit. I suppose it was kind of sad, that this place used to be busy with kids. Now the big house was empty, each bedroom felt like an old memory.

"Why are you still here?"

Will averted his eyes from my stare. "This is my home. Chiron has done a lot for me."

I nodded. "And what will happen to me?" I asked, my throat tight.

Will shrugged. He noticed my nervous twitching then gave me a reassuring smile. "Chiron said he'd convince them to let you stay here, so he can keep an eye on you instead. Then when everyone agrees you're okay you can go back home. Better then being locked up, right?"

"Is this legal?" I bit my bottom lip. I didn't want to go to jail.

"They'll figure that out, don't worry." Will stood up. "I'll go get you some food since you missed breakfast."

I frowned, I clearly remembered eating this morning. "I did?"

Will smirked. "Yeah, you passed out yesterday. I didn't want to wake you."

Oh god. Did he clean up my vomit? "I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"It's okay Nico. I'll be right back," he winked at me then left, closing the door behind him.

I looked down at the clothes I was wearing. My shirt was changed to another Camp Half-Blood print, instead it was bright orange. Knowing that Will was probably the one who changed me my cheeks burned. I mentally pushed that feeling away.

Minutes later the bedroom door creaked open, Will held a white bowl in one hand and a glass of water in the other. Steam swirled upwards from the bowl. He smiled again, I almost smiled back.

"Do you like tomato soup?" Will asked. He carefully put down the bowl and glass on a small wooden bedside table.

"Thank you," I nodded. He grinned widely.

Carefully I placed the soup onto my lap, the blanket kept my legs from burning. I lifted the spoon into my mouth. The soup wasn't homemade, straight from a can into a microwave. But I didn't really care. I felt Will lean over me slightly, he peered down at my head.

"Still hurting?" he asked.

I pressed my fingers against the old wound. There wasn't any noticeable pain. "I'm fine," I said.

"What about the back of your head?" he lightly pressed his finger against my head. I winced as he did. There must be a bruise. Will frowned. "Is that what you always do?"

"Do what?" I slowly stirred the soup, the steam felt good on my face.

"Hit your head," he sat down on the bed again. Only this time he was closer.

I felt him staring at me, I lowered my eyes. "I don't know."

"Okay."

"Okay what?"

"Eat your soup," he smiled.

I did as he said, thankful for him not forcing me to respond. I ate my soup and drank refreshing water. The whole time Will sat there, glancing over at me every now and then. When I was done eating I sat the bowl in front of my crossed legs. I leaned back and listened to the rain tapping against the window. Strong wind bent tree thick pine branches, the house creaked every so often. Outside darker clouds slowly rolled towards the strawberry fields. A streak of lightening lit up the sky behind the old barn. I felt calm, content.

Out of the corner of my eye Will scooted further onto the bed. His feet lifted off the ground and he placed his hands behind him, leaning back he turned his head to look outside. I focused on his face. Bags under his eyes appeared to be darker, or I just never noticed. Maybe he didn't sleep very well. I understood that. Will turned, we made eye contact.

"When's Chiron coming back?" I hurriedly asked. Will smiled then glanced down to my chest and back up. I clasped my hands together.

"In an hour or two?" he shrugged. "They usually go to the store." He was quiet for a moment, "I hope everything works out."

I glared at my hands to avoid eye contact again. Like Will, I kind of wanted this to work out too. There's a chance that Chiron can convince Dr. D to let me stay. Yet staying here was nothing different than staying at Lockwood. Sure, I would be getting a comfortable bed, normal clothes, decent food, and the luxury of taking showers unsupervised. Put those things aside, I would still be trapped, stuck here as they watch over me, control what I can and can't do. Maybe I'll have to still take medications or therapy. Maybe they'll just keep me in this room forever forcing me to be lost in my own thoughts, drowning in them. I can't let that happen.

"Hey, Nico, let go," Will said.

I realized then I was gripping my hair tightly with both fists, my knees pulled up to my chest. I squeezed my watery eyes shut hoping Will would leave. Calloused hands wrapped around my fists. I looked up to see Wills face less than a foot from mine.

"It's okay. Let go," he squeezed my hands. Will was quiet. The room was bright for a split second and in the next moment rumbling thunder slightly shook the house. I softened my harsh grip. He took my hands in his and gently pulled them down until they rested on my knees. Will kept them covered while he asked, "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing," I said.

He raised an eye brow, "You can tell me."

I clenched my jaw together, glaring at him as harshly as I could. Apparently it worked because he retracted his hands.

"Sorry," he mumbled. There was more loud thunder. Will glanced outside then up at the ceiling. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously. "Want to go downstairs?" he stood up biting his bottom lip.

"No," I told him. "You can." I kept my voice cold and stern.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"Okay," Will said, "Ill let you know when they're back." He slumped his shoulders. I watched him leave.

I moved the dirty dish off of the bed and onto the ground so I could lay down comfortably. Facing outside, curled up under the warm blankets, I waited. The clouds moved quickly in swirls of grey and white. Lighting continued to dance in the sky. After each bright light I counted. At first it was up to five seconds, then eight, then twelve. Around the twenty second mark I slowly started to drift off. My mind found itself in that weird place between conciseness and sleep. Time seemed to be irrelevant as I wandered through dreams.

_Authors note:_  
_Lord that took forever to write. Sorry about the long wait for a disappointing filler chapter. I just had to finish it and move on to get the ball rolling. If the Percy drama feels too forced let me know, I want this story to feel as realistic as possible without being bone dry. Next chapter will be better. _  
_Also I swear there will be some fun stuff happening in later chapters... *wink wink* _  
_If only Will could keep it together, how tempting it must be to kiss Nico, am I right?_


	4. Chapter 4

Will woke me up later that day, around one or two. He explained to me that he got a call from Percy and they should be back soon. I told him I wanted to take a shower first, he gave me his pair of gray sweatpants and an old track team hoodie. Being able to brush and floss my teeth was a luxury I didn't know I missed. Overall, I looked better. The curls in my hair were wet but combed out. I hoped they wouldn't start to frizz later.

Downstairs Will was laying on the couch scrolling through his phone. He wore the same thing from yesterday, just with a different shirt. When he noticed me at the bottom of the stairs he sat up and smiled.

"Feeling better?" he asked, watching me sit down in a leather arm chair.

"Yeah," I told him.

I kept my eye on the drive way outside. The longer we waited the more nervous I got. I kept thinking about what would happen. The only thing I could focus on was a large puddle under a tree. It wasn't pouring anymore, maybe there was a light sprinkle. I couldn't tell from being inside. Will lifted his feet to rest on the coffee table. He had worn out Nike sneakers on, he crossed his arms and drummed his fingers against his arm. I pulled my legs up, picking at the oversized hoodie sleeve. The silence was uncomfortable and loud.

A bright light caught my eye. A faded red pickup truck turned into the driveway. The paint was peeling in some places and the engine was very loud. I saw Percy in the drivers seat and Chiron besides him. No Annabeth. I was relieved, she scared me a little. The truck parked in front of the porch steps. Chirons wheel chair was strapped down in the back. Will stood up and told me I can wait here. I did.

Percy opened his door and hopped down. I saw him smile at Will, who didn't give much of a response besides a quick nod. Will walked behind the truck and jumped onto it, Percy followed his actions. Together they pushed a makeshift wooden ramp down. Percy stepped onto it cautiously then jumped a few times making sure it was secure. He told Will something. Will responded, he was busy loosening the straps that held the chair down. Percy jumped out and returned to Chiron. Will sat in the chair, he used the stick on the arm to back it out and down the ramp. Once he reached the ground he parked it next to the open passenger door.

Chiron wrapped his arm around Percy's shoulders, he lifted Chiron out of the truck and into the wheelchair. Percy pulled out a green duffel and black backpack out from the truck. I recognized those bags. Will was leaning in the drivers seat, grabbing bags of groceries. He used his foot to kick the door shut. Percy and Will waited for Chiron at the front door. I didn't notice before that there was a ramp attached to the side of the house.

The front door swung open and Will was the first to walk in, then Percy, then Chiron. Will hurriedly walked to the kitchen to put the groceries down then returned to the living area. Chiron greeted me with a smile, he moved in between the fire place and coffee table. Percy walked up to me and dropped the duffel bag and backpack on the floor. The backpack was indeed mine, I noticed the only pin, a replica of the Pirates of a Caribbean medallion. Bianca found it on the ground one day and put it on my backpack. I didn't refuse her gesture, even thought I have never seen the movies. The duffel bag was the same bag I packed my things with before coming to Lockwood. I could only guess that everything would still be there. I looked at Chiron suspiciously. What did this mean?

"Good news," Chiron finally spoke. "Dionysus agreed to let you stay here." Will sighed heavily, flopping down on the couch. Percy sat on the other end.

"But?" I asked. I knew there would be conditions based off Chirons stiff body language.

Chiron straightened his demon jacket. "But," he said, "you will still take your prescribed medications, and talk with a therapist." My shoulders slumped. He surprised me by saying, "I will be your therapist from now on. I spoke with the one there and she honestly seems terrible." He chuckled slightly. I glanced at Will, he was looking at Chiron intently.

"When can I leave?" I looked back at Chiron, his smile faded.

"When they think you can."

I shook my head. "I'm eighteen, they can't force me to stay here."

Chiron sighed, "True, but you have harmed yourself and others before. Legally they can't let you walk out." Percy locked eyes with me. I quickly looked away. "How about you unpack, and we'll make lunch."

Percy and Will both stood up. "Actually I think Percy has stuff to do," Will said casually. He picked up my bags for me.

Percy frowned at his friend. "Um, yeah, I do. Sorry Chiron." Chiron simply waved his hand at Percy dismissively.

"Come on, Nico," Will said. I followed him up the stairs, making sure not to look at Percy.

Will dropped the bags on the same bottom bunk I slept in before. I kept my distance from him.

He pushed his fingers through his hair. "Alrighty," he said awkwardly. "Do you like mustard?"

I gave him a confused look. "Mustard?"

"Yeah," he pointed out the hallway, "Chiron bought sandwich stuff."

"Oh," I nodded, "mustards fine."

"Sweet," he flashed a crooked smile. "I'll leave you to it."

He quickly left and practically ran down the stairs. I unzipped the duffel bag. Inside was basically my whole wardrobe. There weren't many items with color but at least everything was in my style. I refolded everything neatly before placing them in one of the empty dressers. In my backpack I found my old phone, the battery was dead but I plugged it into the outlet under the bunk bed. Hopefully I will remember the password. I also found my earbuds, leather bracelet with Di Angelo engraved on the side, and my silver ring.

I put on the jewelry, bracelet on my left wrist, and the band on my right ring finger. Already I felt more like myself. Standing in front of the dresser I undressed. I pulled well fitting black jeans over my legs, it was ripped at the knees and upper left thigh. I grabbed my belt that had silver stones decorating the whole thing. Once the belt was pulled through each loop, I tugged the hoodie over my head and threw it on the bed. Looking over my shirts I decided to wear a black tee shirt with the word "No" in white ink on the front. I tied high top dark red converse on my feet before walking to the bathroom.

In the mirror I looked pretty good. I ran my hand through my hair a few times. Under the sink I found a gray hair tie. I still didn't have a lot of experience in the hair styling department but I did know what a pony tail and bun was. Quickly, I threw up my untamed curls into a messy bun. My stomach growled angrily. I was starving.

In the kitchen Will was looking in the fridge while Chiron took a loaf of bread from the grocery bag. I stood in the doorway, they didn't notice me yet.

"It's right in front of you, William," Chiron said with annoyance.

Will scoffed and shook his head. "I don't see it. I told you we didn't have any. You forgot to get it."

Chiron muttered something under his breath. He rolled the wheelchair behind Will. "Move," he said. Will stepped out of the way. Chiron reached up to a shelf and grabbed a bottle of mustard. He threw it at Wills chest who struggled to catch it.

Will rolled his eyes, "Whatever." He set the bottle on the counter. His eyes connected with mine, they looked me over. "Nico," he bit his lip.

Chiron looked between me and Will. He smacked his side while making three sandwiches. Will smiled at him sheepishly. I took a seat at the table.

"Anything to drink?" Will nodded his chin at me.

"Um," I thought for a moment, "What is there?"

"We have water, milk, sweet tea, or coke," he counted each one on his fingers.

"Cokes fine," I told him. I haven't had soda in a while.

Will brought over two cans of chilled Coke, one in front of me and the other where he would be sitting. He then brought over two plates with a delicious homemade sandwich. Chiron came over and joined, he held his plate in his hand.

"Any plans tonight boys?" Chiron asked. He took a bite. I cracked open the can, foam spilled out but I quickly drank it.

Will swallowed his food before speaking. "Well, the gang is meeting at SPQR later, if you want to go?"

"I don't know what that is," I took a small bite of the sandwich. It was even better than it looked.

"It's a bar on Main Street," he smiled.

"I'm not twenty one."

Will shrugged and smirked. "Don't worry, I know the owner."

"You should go Nico," Chiron interrupted. "It'll be good to meet some people."

I twirled the ring around my finger with my thumb. Maybe it'll be fun, or a disaster. I took a deep breath, "Okay."

Will clapped his hands. I jumped slightly. "Great," he said excitedly, "Jason will be here at five."

I nodded. We ate the rest of our lunch. Will and Chiron talked about the strawberries and how they need to harvest in a day or two. I finished before them, I politely rinsed my plate and placed it in the sink. I told Chiron I was still unpacking and I'll be down at five. They both nodded. I carried the can of Coke upstairs with me, sipping the sugary syrup every few seconds.

Under the bed I unplugged my phone from its charger. It was an old I phone with the screen shattered in the top right corner. I did have a black rubber case on it, but it didn't seem to have a lot of protection. The screen lit up when I pressed the home button. Luckily, I did remember the four digit pass word. A selfie of me and Bianca was my background. We were both smiling crazily, she had her arm around my shoulders and I held up a peace sign. Bianca had on a pink beanie and her gold locket around her neck. There were no texts or missed calls. I didn't have a phone plan anymore but I still had photos and music saved in a playlist. Also there were a couple of apps like Candy Crush and other mind numbing games.

I tapped open the photo album, I scrolled through all of the pictures. Some were random things I took interest in. Birds, flowers, weirdly shaped buildings. Other pictures were awkward selfies I would take of myself, I quickly scrolled through those. The rest were me and my sister. I stopped scrolling when I reached a photo of me crouching next to a huge dog, Mrs. O'Leary. I thought back to when the photo was taken. Bianca was behind the camera trying to make Mrs. O'Leary look at her by making weird noises. The dog lived at one of our foster homes. She was incredibly gently and loving despite her scary appearance. I smiled at her big droopy face.

"Nico!" Will yelled from downstairs. My eyes snapped to the time on the screen. That went by fast. "Jason's here!"

I pushed myself off the bed and tucked my phone in my back right pocket. I remembered to reapply deodorant and a dash of cologne from the bottom of my backpack on my wrists and neck. I spotted my bomber jacket on the floor, maybe it'll be cold later, so I grabbed it.

Chiron and Will were outside on the porch talking to a blonde guy. He was tall and built, his blonder hair was neatly cut and styled. He wore glasses, jeans, and a purple long-sleeved button up. His eyes were striking as they met mine. Will turned to the sound of the screen door opening. He smiled.

"Nico," he pointed at the tall blonde, "this is Jason. Jason, Nico."

Jason had a perfect smile, like he was sculpted by an artist. There was a thin white scar on his bottom lip. "Hey, man."

"Hi," I said to him. He towered over me.

"Boys, let me have a word with Nico," Chiron said. The two blondes walked to a gray Ford Focus, Will glanced behind him. Chiron held out his hand, between his fingers he held a folded twenty dollars. "Just in case."

"No," I shook my head, "that's okay." He already was feeding me and giving me a place to stay, I couldn't take more.

"Trust me," he said, "you're going to want something to eat." He motioned me for me to grab it. I gingerly did.

"Thank you," I gave him a small smile.

"Of course. Have fun." I held the screen door open for him, it was the least I could do.

Will and Jason were waiting in the car. I opened the back door and joined them. Despite the car being an older model, it was still very clean. The seats had a few stains and scratches but nothing too extreme. Jason sat in front of me in the drivers seat.

"Are we getting Piper?" Will asked, he sat in the passenger side. He plugged the aux cord into his phone.

Jason shook his head, putting the car into gear. "Nah, she's working tonight." He drove the car onto the road and towards the town.

I was tense, very tense. The whole time we listened to Wills favorite pop songs I wondered how many people were going to be there. How many friends did Will have? We crossed the train tracks and took a left at the next light. There were a few families walking around on Main Street, they looked in the windows of locally owned shops and restaurants.

"Finally," Jason said, he turned his blinker on to signal that he would be taking the parking spot. He skillfully parallel parked.

Will jumped out of car, I was the last to get out. I left my jacket in the back seat since it was still too hot out. Jason waited for me until he could lock the car. Across the street I spotted a red pick up truck. Oh no.

I fell into step besides Will. I had to keep wiping my sweaty palms on my pants. We walked only down to the corner. The bar had a lit up purple sign spelling out SPQR above the door. Inside it was busy and dark. There were two pool tables, the actual bar was on the back wall, two bar tenders were busy making and servings drinks. A waitress brought plates of burgers and fries out from the kitchen. There were booths with red leather, in the middle of each table a bowl of peanuts. The walls were covered with street signs, pictures of the town, I'm guessing the family that owned the bar, and other things. Music played from a juke box next to the door.

"There they are," Jason pointed to a large round booth in a corner near the bar. He waved at the people who sat there. Will and I followed him.

A short dark olive skinned guy with curly brown hair was the first to greet them. He stood up and gave Jason a bro hug.

"Hey Leo," Will grinned, he grabbed Leo's hand and slapped his back, Leo did the same.

Another young girl sat at the booth, she had dark skin and long curly hair, I could make out the gold glint in her eyes as she smiled up at Leo and Will. Besides her sat a big bulky guy with short hair and pale skin. He glanced nervously at Leo and then the girl.

"We already ordered some wings," the girl said. She gave me a small smile.

"Perfect," Jason said. Leo scooted in the booth, Jason followed him.

"Hey guys," someone said behind me. I turned around to see Percy holding a beer in each hand, Annabeth had a martini.

"Hey," Will said. He turned to the table. "We're gonna get a drink. Come on Nico."

He took my wrist in his hands and pulled me past Percy towards the bar. Will leaned on the bar and gave me an apologizing look.

"Sorry," he said, lowering his head to me so I could hear over the loudness. "They don't usually come."

"It's okay," I lied. This wasn't going to kill me. We would leave soon and everything will be fine.

"Will," the bartender said over the counter. She wiped her hands on a towel then tossed it on her shoulder. "What can I getcha?" She had a intimidating look, her thick long hair was braided over her shoulder and she wore a purple shirt with the bars logo.

"I'll take a beer," he raised his voice to speak to her. Will looked at me, "and a rum and Coke."

My eyes widened, I looked at the bar tender to tell her I was underage. She obviously already knew because she had her hand on her hip and glared at Will.

"Come on, Reyna," Will pleaded. "He's completely responsible."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Just this once."

Will grinned at her. She quickly filled a pitcher of beer and a glass with half Coke and half rum. I was handed the drink by Will, side by side we returned to his group of friends. Will slid in the booth next to Jason, giving me the end seat. I was thankful that I didn't have to be squished next to anyone. It went me, Will, Jason, Leo, that girl, big dude, Annabeth, and Percy. Percy was on the other end cracking a peanut open with his fingers. Leo was arguing about something with the other guy.

The small girl raised her hand to interrupt them. "So Will," she said. Her voice was soft. "Introduce us."

Will smiled at her. "Right. Every one this is Nico." He went down the line of people starting with Leo. "Leo, Hazel," she waved, "and Frank."

Frank stuck out his hand to shake mine but ended up knocking over his water. "Damnit," he grabbed a stack of napkins.

"Nice going," Leo laughed.

"Shut it, Valdez," Frank glared at him. The table laughed at that.

I stayed quiet, sipping on my drink. It wasn't particularly tasty but it'll do. Percy didn't participate in the laughter, he stared at his growing pile of peanut shells. A waiter then brought the table two large baskets of wings, he placed them in the middle of the table. He looked pretty young to be working at a bar.

"Thanks," Will said happily, he reached for a wing.

"Of course," the waiter winked at Will. He left to check on another table.

Jason chuckled and rolled his eyes, "Isn't he in high school Will?"

Will took a messy bite. "Who?" he asked innocently.

Annabeth laughed at that, Hazel did the same. I locked eyes with Annabeth, she gave me a warm smile, I returned one. I didn't want any bad blood or awkwardness. All of the awkwardness was all going towards Percy, who still hasn't said anything since we sat down.

Jason took a big gulp from his beer. "How old are you, Nico?" He leaned forward to see me clearly.

"I'm eighteen," I told him truthfully. I could have sworn Jason gave Will a glare.

"So is Hazel and Frank," Jason said. I looked at Frank. How is that big of a guy still a teenager?

Leo slammed a shot glass on the table making everyone jump. His face scrunched together and he stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"What are you drinking?" Annabeth asked.

"Fireball," Leo sputtered out, still cringing. "I'm getting drunk tonight."

"Got rejected again?" Will grinned and tossed the clean bone on a plate.

Leo rolled his eyes, "Way to tell everyone."

Percy chuckled under his breath, I stole a glance at him.

"Don't worry," Jason clapped his hand on Leo's shoulder. "You'll find the right girl."

Leo glared at him. "People in perfect relationships aren't allowed to say that."

Will laughed, "Okay, I agree with that."

Annabeth raised her head to look at something. "Hey," she said, "pools open. You guys want to play?"

Everyone else agreed. I reluctantly sat up and stepped out of the way to let Will and Jason out. Will stayed behind to ask me if I wanted to join. I told him maybe in a little bit, and that I wanted to finish my drink first. He said okay and joined the rest.

I was grateful to be alone. Sure I haven't really said anything so far but that's the key to being over looked. I sighed and twirled ice in the glass with a straw. Subconsciously I looked up at the bar, a man in maybe his thirties was sitting on one of the stools, he smiled and waved at me. Quickly I returned my attention to my drink.

"Hey there."

Of course it was the same guy, now standing next to me. His beard was patchy and uneven and he smelled of cigarettes.

"What's your name?" he asked. The way he looked at me creeped me out.

"Kyle!" I looked behind me to see who yelled. Will was walking towards me with a scowl. "Back off, dude."

Kyle smirked with yellow stained teeth. "Fuck off, Solace. You don't have claim over every one, especially not the hot ones." He winked at me. I didn't try to hide my disgust that time.

"Excuse you?" Will was very red in the face now. He clenched his fists.

I was about to speak before Kyle cut me off, "I said fuck-"

Will's right fist came into contact with the assholes jaw. The escalated conflict quieted the bar. Kyle stumbled back. I stood up and Will pulled me behind him. He looked me over checking to see if I was hurt in anyway, which I thought was ridiculous at the moment. Behind him Kyle regained his balance and raised his arm.

"Will!" I warned.

The second Will turned around Kyle socked him right in the nose. His head snapped to he side violently. All of the sudden Percy and Jason was by our side. They grabbed Kyles arms and dragged him outside. Kyle tried to knock them down but nothing worked. Others watched. Annabeth was quickly talking with Reyna over the counter. When the glass door shut I saw Percy let his fist fly. Will groaned and covered his nose.

"Oh my god," I said. "Are you okay?" A dumb question. He was definitely not okay. Dark blood splattered his shirt and neck. I handed him a stack of napkins from the table.

"I'm fine," he huffed out, pressing the napkins under his nose. Skin underneath his eye was beginning to bruise. "Are you having fun yet?" There was a sparkle in his eyes.

I almost laughed, almost. "You're annoying."

"Thank you," he grunted. I motioned for him to sit on the booth. He did, he kept his head forward and let the blood run out.

"That was awesome," Leo was grinning widely behind me. I turned to face him. Hazel glared at him.

"Are you okay Nico?" Hazel asked.

Why was she asking me? "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Good," Frank said, he stood protectively behind Hazel, "Kyles a creeper."

Leo agreed, "Fuck that guy."

"Where's Jason and Percy?" Will asked.

Annabeth walked up to us. "Dealing with him," she said. Will nodded. She handed Will a ball of paper towels. Will switched to that. He placed the bloody napkins on a plate.

I stayed with Will while they checked on Percy and Jason. Percy had a smug look on his face when he walked inside, his knuckles were bruised and bloody. Jason motioned for us to follow him.

"I'll take you home," Jason said.

I thanked him. Will struggled to walk straight so I grabbed his bicep which helped him keep his balance. It was pretty dark outside, there weren't many stars but the moonlight forced itself through the rain clouds. Jason opened the door for him, Will dropped on the seat like a rag doll. We claimed our same seats as before and left the parking space. Will grunted every time Jason braked too hard or turned top sharply. Jason parked the car in front of the big house.

"Do you need help?" Jason asked.

"No, thanks Jason," Will opened the door and pushed himself out.

I thanked Jason before leaving his car. Will was still stumbling, so again I took his arm and helped. He fumbled with his keys for a minute, once he gripped the right one he opened the door. Chiron wasn't anywhere to be seen and the light were off. Will gripped the railing of the stairs. On the second floor I pulled him into the bathroom. I switched the light on, Will sat on the toilet seat.

Underneath the sink there were two clean towels. I grabbed one. It took a minute for the sink to run hot water, once it did I let the corner of the towel soak. Will noticed what I was doing, he threw the paper towels in the waste basket. He gripped the end of his shirt and pulled it over his head. Blood stained the skin on his neck and chest. Will crumbled toilet paper together to hold it up to his nose. Only a little blood stained the white tissue.

I struggled not to stare at his abs as I wiped the blood off his chest. I could feel his hard body underneath the towel. Even with a blood covered face, he was still attractive. Wills legs were spread and I stood between them. I realized how intimate this actually was, I couldn't hide my deep blush. Will smiled and leaned his head back, either to stop the bleeding or to help me wipe his neck. I decided it was to wipe his neck.

Will looked me over. "You're cute," he mumbled.

I scrunched my eye brows together in confusion. "How's your head?" I turned the faucet back on and rinsed the blood out.

He chuckled, "Peachy."

I handed him the freshly rinsed towel. "Wipe your face." He did as I said.

After, he stood up to throw the towel in the hamper. We were very close, maybe five inches from the other, I could practically feel the heat coming off his body. He smelled like Old Spice, sweat, and blood. I swallowed the lump in my throat and was unable to look at him, scared I would blush even more. His soft skin and strip of blonde hair leading down to his crotch was enticing to look at. Will leaned his head forward, then sighed. His fists clenched tightly.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered, the huskiness in his voice ran a shudder down my back. Before I could say anything he already left. He walked downstairs and out the front door.

I finally allowed myself to breath heavily. My heart was beating against my ribs. I looked in the mirror, I was completely flushed. Wills scent lingered although he was gone.

I left the bathroom to my room, I shut the door behind me. I kicked my shoes off and flung them onto the floor. Once I was laying down I finally realized why I was so uncomfortable. There was a tent in my jeans directly at my crotch. I groaned embarrassingly. How long has that been there? And why was that there?

Much to my surprise there was a box of unused Kleenex in the drawer of the bed side table. I pulled a few out and laid back down. There's only one way my problem can go away. I unbuckled my jeans and kicked them off my legs. Hesitantly, I reached underneath my underwear. I kept imagining Chiron busting in here, then I remembered he can't use the stairs.

Out of instinct my fingers wrapped around my half hard on. I sighed at the familiar feeling. Slowly, I rubbed my thumb in small circles against the head. Eventually I was fully hard. With my left hand I pushed down the fabric of my boxers. I shuddered as the cool air enveloped my exposed dick. My fingers gripped the shaft tightly, I choked back a moan. Fuck it, no ones here.

I slid my fist up slowly, and then back down to the base. Thick black curly pubes tickled my hand. I relished in the pleasurable feeling, wanting this to go on for a while since I haven't had the privacy in months. My back arched as I quickened my pace, squeezing and twisting my cock. I let my mouth hang open, my eyes shut. Small moans and gasps spilled out. I pictured Will in the strawberry fields, glistening in the sun with sweat. I imagined him pulling off his shirt.

Wanting to build my climax quicker I reached down with my free hand and fondled my balls softly. A droplet of sweat slid off my forehead. I grunted and thrusted my hips, meeting the same rhythm as my fist. Veins along the sides of my dick strained against my palm. I couldn't hold back the moans and grunts. I was too lost. I felt the building of my climax. Jerking faster, I covered my leaking tip with Kleenex. My eyes rolled into the back of my head.

"Fuck," I moaned.

White hot sticky ropes shot into the Kleenex. I rolled my hips to ride it out as long as I could. Once my dick was limp and overly sensitive I relaxed into the mattress, soaking in the after glow. I breathed heavily, sweat soaking into the pillow case. I blindly tossed the Kleenex onto the floor. Not long after I passed out, not questioning why I could only think of Will during it all. I'll panic in the morning.

_**Authors note**_  
_**So, how do you all like it so far? Please leave a review and let me know if things are moving too slow/fast, if certain things are irrelevant or out of character, or if my writing isn't great. I honestly want to know so I can make this story better. I will try to update more frequently...**_


	5. Chapter5

**_Trigger warning: deppression, mention of self harm_**

For the whole night I slept soundly, there were no dreams that I could remember or random awakenings. That is until an alarm from my phone rudely went off at seven in the morning. I dragged my upper half off the bed and grabbed my pants from last night, the alarm's volume increased the longer I took. Quickly I pressed the stop button on the screen. I knew I wouldn't be able to fall back asleep so I forced myself onto my feet. I stood in front of the window with my arms stretched above my head.

From my dresser I grabbed a new pair of briefs, socks, tight fitting black sweatpants, and a gray tee shirt. I dropped the clothes on the bathroom counter. Before I turned the shower on I took off my jewelry and sleep wear. The hamper was getting full, I'd have to ask Chiron where the washing machine was. I pulled my hair back into a pony tail to keep it from getting wet. It took a little longer than usual for the shower temperature to heat up. When it was to my liking I stepped in. I let the water beat against my back. My eyes closed and I breathed in deeply.

I thought about yesterday, at the bar. As much as I thought I would hate it, I enjoyed being around other people. And I especially enjoyed that they didn't force me to talk. Leo seemed a little crazy and unstable, but funny at times. Hazel was a sweet girl who I could probably hang out with and not feel exhausted around. With Hazel came Frank, he looked like a big softy and was close to her at all times. The father figure of the group had to be Jason, I could tell in only a few hours that they looked up to him. Annabeth seemed to feel guilty of what happened, I assumed we just got off on the wrong foot and hopefully it will be better. But Percy, I didn't want to be around him at all. He reminded me of my time at Lockwood. His presence made me nervous, like he would put me back in there if I did one thing wrong.

Then I thought about that creepy guy, and how Will stood up for me. I've never had someone punch another guy solely because I was uncomfortable. I hoped I would never have to see that man again, I don't know why he came onto me so strongly. Do I look gay or something? Maybe too feminine? Or he was just a little tipsy. Whatever the reason, I didn't like it. I turned around to face the shower head.

Thinking about Will brought me back to late last night in my bed. I can't believe I thought those things. It made me sick to my stomach. And how I acted upon them was worse. I allowed myself to grow angry by replaying Will's almost forceful kiss from the other day. It worked, I was mad. I was mad at him for getting hurt, for dragging me to see Percy face to face, and for treating everything so casually.

I washed my body with a soapy washcloth, scrubbing until my skin was red and raw. Being clean physically might keep me clean mentally. I dried myself off with a clean towel, when I was dry I hung the towel on a rack. It took me only a minute to get dressed. My stomach growled.

I sneaked downstairs, despite my best efforts the floor still creaked. I didn't hear any talking or movements. Chiron was probably still asleep, which was a no brainer. I wished I was too.

The first thing I smelt was coffee. In the kitchen Will leaned against the counter of the island, his back facing me, waiting for the pot to fill. Bright morning sun shined through the glass. His hair looked golden and his skin gave off a cozy aura. His pants were dirty and worn out, and his white shirt had sweat on the back. I took a step forward, Will jumped from the loud creak from the floor. He looked back at me.

"Fuck, Nico," he said, covering his heart with one hand. "Scared the shit out of me." The bruise under his eye was a lot darker, it spread across his nose.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"It's alright. Do you drink coffee?" he reached into a cupboard and grabbed another white mug.

My mouth watered. It felt like a life time since I had coffee. "Yes, thank you," I stood next to the same counter, yet keeping my distance from Will.

"I didn't expect you to be up so early," he filled each mug, a few drops fell onto the counter.

"Why are you up?" I asked. He added a splash of creamer to each. I reached for the mug closest to me. The dark hot liquid covered my tongue. It tasted divine, my shoulders relaxed as I drank.

"The boys and I are picking berries," his head gestured to the back yard.

"The boys?" I held the mug close to my face with both hands and let the steam soak into my skin.

Will took a big gulp of coffee before speaking, "Yeah, some kids from the high school."

"Oh," I remembered him telling me that, "right. Are you almost done?"

He smiled at me. "Did you want to do something?"

I scrunched my eye brows together and shot him a glare. I didn't even want to see him this morning. "No, I was just wondering."

Wills smile dropped for a split second. "I'm going to send them home around ten. It's supposed to get above ninety later today. I don't want them to melt out there."

"Okay," I said.

Will chugged down the rest of his coffee. He sat the mug into the sink. After, he grabbed four bottles of water from the fridge. He was able to fit three in one hand, and the fourth tucked under his arm. Will pushed his hair back. I had to look away.

"Well, help yourself to whatever you want," Will smiled. "I'll see you later." He pushed the sliding door open and then closed it behind him.

I took a deep breathe. The coffee was nice and tasty but not at all filling. I searched through the cabinets until I found a loaf of bread and peanut butter. I stuck one slice into a toaster next to the stove, regularly checking that it didn't burn. The peanut butter spread across smoothly.

I ate my toast in the living room on the couch. It was a really beautiful morning. There were a few fluffy white clouds gliding across the sky, birds chirped in the trees. I was halfway through my coffee when Chirons office door opened. He noticed me and gave a friendly smile.

"Good morning," he said. He wore a casual blue shirt and sweatpants, a quilt covered most of his legs.

"Morning," I smiled back.

He moved the chair in front of the window and looked outside. There were a few cars I haven't noticed earlier parked on the side of the house.

"How did you sleep?" Chiron asked.

"Good," I said. The silence was uncomfortable. "Will made coffee."

He glanced at the hallway. "Perfect, I'll get some." He was just about to back up when I jumped up from my seat, I set my mug down on the table.

"I'll get it for you." I hurriedly walked into the kitchen before he could stop me.

I still had some guilt for what I've done to Chiron. If there were any chances where I could make it up to him I would. The mug I chose for him was round and red. I had no idea how he liked his coffee so I made it the way I would enjoy. Chiron was waiting in the same spot I left him. He thanked me as I handed him the coffee. I returned to the couch.

"How did last night go?" his left eye brow raised as he sipped.

I shrugged. "It was okay."

Chiron chuckled, "Just okay? Nothing happened?"

"Well," I crossed my legs together, "Will punched someone."

He choked on his coffee. "He what?"

"Yeah, there was this guy who was being weird. Kevin I think."

"Kyle?" Chiron asked. I nodded. "Everyone knows Kyle, he's the neighborhood drunk. I'm shocked Reyna even let him inside." I had no response. "Were you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I was fine."

"Have you ever been in a fight?" he took another sip.

I shifted, uncomfortable under his gaze. "Sort of," I told him. That wasn't a complete lie. Does getting your ass kicked count as a fight?

"Who gave you that?" he pointed at the ring I was fiddling with.

"My mom," I said coldly.

Chiron smiled, his eyes squinted just barely each time he did. He changed the subject into something else, "The farmers market is today, every Sunday actually. Will is dropping off some strawberries later. I'm sure he'd be glad to take you if you want to go." He lowered the mug into his lap. "Excuse me, I have some paper work to get done." He commanded the chair to roll back into his office.

I sunk into the overly soft cushions, letting my hair fall back as I looked up at the ceiling. The sunshine warming my face helped me relax. Although, I started wondering what the farmers market would be like. Maybe there would be a lot of people, it would be loud and people would run into me. Or there would only be a few old ladies selling their knitted blankets and homemade jewelry. I could eat good food with a refreshing lemonade. But Will would be there, he'd probably make me follow him. Somehow I could find a way to sneak off.

For maybe ten minutes I thought about whether I should go or not. In the end I decided not to. My fingers drummed on the couch cushions. I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth and nibbled subconsciously. I didn't know what to do now. I've only been awake for about two hours. Chiron didn't give me any medicine this morning either. Did he forget? I've been off it too long. Right? Isn't it bad to stop taking it?

I wrapped my arms over my torso and gripped tightly, trying to replicate pressure that Will did last time. There was panic, churning deep into my chest and I could feel it growing. But why? I hated taking those meds and now that I'm not I should be better. They never helped they just numbed me. So why don't I feel better?

The morning sun swallowed me up into a bright, hot cocoon. Taking shallow breaths, I wiped my sweaty brow with the back of my hand. The sudden intense heat made me nauseas. It felt like there was a lump in my throat that was trying to crawl out of my mouth. Slowly, I stood up squinting my eyes. I stumbled my way over to the stair case and pulled my self up one step at a time. After that, the bathroom was fairly close.

I shut the door behind me then slumped onto the floor directly in front of the toilet. Leaning forward, I anticipated myself to vomit. Yet to no avail. The cool tiles of the floor was inviting against my hot skin. I laid down on my side with my arm stretched out under my head. To the right of my hand, near the door, there was a fan that blew gentle cool air. My heavy eyelids shut and I focused on breathing and the delicate breeze. Every now and then there would be a gust of wind that made the house creak. Yet I was content with just laying on the floor.

I must have fallen asleep because the door swung open and hit my arm. I groaned and rolled onto my back. My neck was sore and my back was stiff. Will was looking down at me, his eye brows scrunched together. Dirt covered almost every inch of exposed skin.

"Nico?" he asked, bending down. "Are you okay?"

I pulled my self up so I was sitting. "Just fell asleep." Even on his knees he was still taller than me. I avoided looking at his face.

"Let me help you up," he said. His hand wrapped around under my arm and gently pulled me to my feet. He dropped his arm and squeezed my hand. "Okay?"

I nodded quickly then pulled my hand back, which felt like it was on fire. "I don't want to go," I told him. Will tilted his head confused. "To the farmers market." I clarified.

"Oh," Will shrugged, "I figured. The guys already left. I was just gonna take a shower," he pointed behind me. "The other bathroom has a crap shower head."

I tried to hold back a blush. "Oh, sorry." I went to step around him but he stepped forward at the same time. He chuckled and grabbed my shoulders, spinning us around until we switched places.

"After, would you maybe want to watch a movie? We just got Netflix." He smiled.

I scratched the back of my neck. "Um, sure. I guess."

His grin grew. "Cool, I'll be quick then."

"Okay," I quickly walked out of the bathroom. Will closed the door behind me. "Idiot," I mumbled to myself. He probably thinks I'm crazy sleeping in the bathroom.

Instead of dwelling on it, I returned to the tv room. Chirons office door was shut, maybe he was in his room or working still. I waited on the couch. The sun was high in the sky now, the AC was working extra hard to keep the house a comfortable temperature.

The stairs creaked, Will jumped over the couch and sat directly next to me. He smelled like shampoo and soap. His hair was damp and he wore comfy sweats and a hoodie.

"That was fast," I noted.

He shrugged, "I told you I would be."

The remote to the tv was small and slim, it had only four buttons. Will opened Netflix with ease. There were many films I didn't recognize as he scrolled through the different genres.

"Anything catch your eye?" Will turned his head to me. I shook my head. "Well, Disney? You can never go wrong with Disney." He pressed play on a movie called Hercules. I'll be honest, I've never seen the whole thing.

"Bored?" Will asked a few minutes into the film. He pointed at my tapping finger.

"Sorry," I clenched them into fists. "I don't watch many movies."

"I watch too many," he laughed. "I need to get out more."

"Seems like you get out a lot," I snipped.

He raised his eye brow. "Was that an attack? I'm offended."

"Sorry," I said again.

"No you're not," Will smiled.

Suddenly his hand was over mine. I looked up at him quickly.

"You have to stop doing that," I said and crossed my arms, returning my attention to the movie. "It's weird."

He pulled his feet up onto the couch and sunk back into the cushions. "Right, I'm sorry. I'll stop." I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"You said that yesterday."

More time passed. We watched Hercules train to become a strong and heroic demigod. The movie was good, it had the sort of whimsical feeling only Disney and Pixar could make one experience.

The silence between Will and I put me on edge. I've felt the couch move a few times but I refused to look, scared that he'll immediately catch me and try some stupid humor. I waited another minute or two before I built up the courage to see what he was doing.

Will had his arms crossed over his chest, his chin tucked down which caused his hair to fall over his eyes. Now that it was completely dried, the simple waves were more pronounced with volume. His chest barely moved from shallow breaths. How is it possible, that in any lighting, even at night I've noticed, Will glows? His skin reminded me of the gods from Hercules, emitting it's own light source.

I looked down at Will's hands. They were scrubbed clean of any dirt from this morning. Remembering how soft and warm they actually were, I wanted to touch his calloused fingers. I felt an urge to trace the lines on his skin, just to see where they would lead me. Even Wills blonde arm hair peaking out from the sleeves looked inviting.

Careful not to make any sudden movements and wake him, I hovered my hand over his. The contrast of his tan and my paleness was shocking. My fingers were long and slim, boney with protruding knuckles. My middle finger lowered down and softly rested on the back of Wills hand. Like every time we touched, as scary as it was, I still wanted to feel more. To know more. Are his cheeks this warm, or would they be hot? What about his chest? I wanted to feel everything. I let my fingertip follow a vein up to his wrist where it then disappeared.

I jumped in my seat when Will let out a soft mumble, which I couldn't understand. He lifted his head up, eyes barely open. Almost instantly I was up and walking up the stairs, trying my hardest not to run. I closed the bedroom door and realized there wasn't a lock. I pressed the palms of my hands against the door. My heart beat so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of my rib cage.

There were footsteps and then a tap on the door.

"Nico?" Will whispered.

I stayed quiet, chewing my lip.

"I'm coming in."

The handle turned. I quickly took a few steps back, putting on a scowl that I've learned people don't like. Will opened the door with just enough space for him to slip inside, he shut it behind him.

"What are you doing?" I asked coldly. He looked up at me finally.

"You ran off," he said.

"I'm tired," I said without missing a beat. I'm tired, one of the easiest things to say. Just like I'm fine, I'm okay.

He walked towards me. I crossed my arms and stood my ground, determined to get him to leave. Will reached out his hands.

"What are you doing?" I asked again, although I let him continue.

He pulled one of my arms out and wrapped his hand over my fingers, making sure to leave my pointer free. I couldn't breathe, only watch as he did what he wanted. He brought his free hand under our conjoined ones. Will guided my finger across his palm, his knuckles, down each finger, taking his time.

Once he felt satisfied with his hand, he led me up to his face. This time he let all of my fingers free from his grasp and only held my wrist. Will kept his stare down at the floor as he did. My heart beat so loudly, I'm sure he could hear it. Our skin finally met when my finger tips pressed against his cheek and jaw. I can confirm, it was hot, though not unbearable. He dragged my fingers down to his chin. Muscles under his jaw clenched and unclenched. Will lifted his free hand again and took my thumb with two fingers. He slowly made me caress his bottom lip. I could feel his hot breath, almost as rapid as mine. Will pursed his lips, placing a gentle kiss.

He looked up at me with those shocking eyes, his pupils dilated. My hand on his face, touching his mouth, it was too much. I stepped back, pulling myself away from him. I crossed my arms.

"Are you okay?" Will asked slightly breathless.

No. "Yes."

"Are you sure?"

Not at all. "I'm fine."

"Don't lie," he said sternly. His eyes were dancing across my face, I could tell. It was like he was studying me.

I clenched my fists. "It's just," I started, "um." I didn't know what to say. My heart was still hammering.

Will took a cautious step forward, making sure I wouldn't run off again. I let my arms hang by my side. He took one of my hands in his own, like before.

"Is this okay?" Will whispered, lowering his head so I could make eye contact. I nodded.

"It's w-"

"Weird?" he finished for me.

"Wrong," I corrected.

His thumb caressed the back of my hand. "Why do you think that?" he asked.

My teeth clenched together, I looked down at my feet. What else do I say rather than it's wrong? It feels good, touching him, but I know I shouldn't be doing it. Or rather it shouldn't be happening to me. I'm too fucked up in the head to have anyone want me, especially this way.

For my whole life I've beat these feelings down with a large metaphorical hammer and buried it every time it came back. It doesn't matter that same sex marriage is legal now, or that some kids have two moms or two dads. I'll still be hated, still be called a fag no matter where I go. Maybe my mom would have hated me too, I don't know. I will never know.

My chest was tight and I held back tears. I kept my head low. That pain that's constant was in intense overdrive. I wanted to leave. I wanted to be hit by a car, shot in the head, I didn't care. I didn't want to keep fighting things back, and I also didn't want to learn how to accept them. I didn't want anything.

Will wrapped his arms around me tightly, and that was enough for the dam to break. I wept into his shirt with my arms crossed over my chest, keeping a small barrier up.

"Come here," Will whispered. He led us to my bed.

We sat. Will still had his death grip on me, and I still cried. No, I sobbed. I made sounds that weren't at all manly as everything trapped inside me came out. My hands shook in my lap. I said something like, "I don't want to be here," a few times, though I'm not sure if it was in English or Italian. I didn't want to be here, it was true. I didn't.

After a while, a numbness spread throughout me, starting at my head and sweeping down. There were no more tears left to spill. I wiped my wet cheeks with my hands. Will rubbed small circles on my back.

"I'm sorry," I said. My voice was raspy and broken.

"Don't be."

Will wrapped one arm around my shoulders and placed the other hand on my thigh. Hesitant, I placed my hand over his. My thumb caressed his soft skin. I leaned into him subconsciously.

"Are you tired?" Will asked.

I nodded.

"Do you want to take a nap and um," he cleared his throat awkwardly, "cuddle?"

"I don't know," I admitted. I've never cuddled and I don't think I would be any good. Especially after just having a mental break down.

"We can try, and if it's you don't like it just say the word," he squeezed my shoulder.

I was too tired to try and fight him. Will stood up with a smile on his face. He walked around the bed and pulled the blanket down so he could get in. With a sigh I pushed my half of the blanket down. The bed squeaked as we both wiggled our legs under.

"Okay, come here," Will said. He was on his side. I stared down at him, not knowing how to go from here. Do I face him? Face away? "I'll be the big spoon," he winked.

I knew what spooning was. It took me a few awkward seconds but eventually I was beside Will, my right arm tucked under the pillow. Will shimmied closer until his chest touched my back. Self conscious that my hair was in his face I tucked it under my head. Will chuckled.

"I'm going to hold you, is that okay?" Will asked. I appreciated him wanting my permission.

"Yeah," I whispered.

The anticipation was the worse. Once his arm was around me and tucked under my own, I relaxed. I wiggled closer to him, almost desperate for his warmth and touch. Will tightened his hold around me, he moved his legs so they were resting practically on mine.

"Can I ask you something?" his voice was low and quiet.

"Hm?" I said. My eyes shut as sleep was beginning to take its hold on me.

"Did you like it?" Wills arm flexed, like he was nervous.

"Like what?" I spoke in a murmur now.

"Touching me. Did you like it?"

I opened my eyes slightly, the question throwing me off my numb daze.

"Did you?" I asked.

"Well, yeah," he said. His finger traced a soothing pattern on my chest. "You can touch me whenever you want."

A slight laugh came out of me. "That's weird."

Will scoffed. "I know, but like, I'm serious. Yeah? Whenever you want. Maybe sometimes I can do you?"

My face heated up at the thought of his hands on me. Even now, just cuddling, I could barely keep my cool.

"Maybe," I told him. It was an empty maybe, a maybe that didn't mean no but did not at all mean yes. And Will knew that.

"Maybe," Will said. "Time to sleep, I'm so tired you have no idea."

I smiled. It didn't take long until I was asleep. More like half asleep since the curtains were still open and the sun poured in. In the back of my mind I heard faint yelling. I couldn't make it out. Brazilian? Helium?

"William!"

It was Chiron.

Something underneath me moved and groaned. I opened one of my eyes to find myself laying on Wills chest with my leg draped over his. He had one arm around me and the other over his eyes. Outside the sun was setting directly in front of the bedroom window. I looked up at Will. In this light I noticed blonde stubble above his top lip and chin.

"William Solace!" Chiron yelled again.

Will groaned longer and louder at the sound of his last name. Which I thought suited him fairly nice.

"You should go see what he wants," I said.

I made an effort to sit up but Will wrapped both arms around me and pulled me on top of him. There was no chance I wasn't blushing. He sheepishly smiled.

"I want to stay," he grumbled like a child who was told no.

"Go," I glared at him. I was worried that Chiron would suddenly be able to walk and come up stairs just to kick Wills ass.

"Hmph," he pouted. "Fine, but I'll be right back." Will sat up, I moved so I was next to him. "Stay here."

It was quick, and it took me until he opened the door to fully grasp what happened. He kissed me. Well, barely, his lips touched the corner of my mouth but it was enough. Enough for me to be frozen. I dropped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering why on Earth he would do that. And why do I want more, way more.

**_Authors note:_**

**_Please review! Tell me what you think, be honest! Also thank you for the support._**

**_Seems like Nico is maybe starting to accept the concept of affection... Well maybe._**


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